Fabric-strip curtain for car wash installations

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a fabric-strip curtain for car wash installations, comprising a support bar ( 2 ) that is displace back and forth, on which cleaning strips ( 3 ) consisting of a cleaning textile are hung next to one another, each of the strips being provided with loops ( 5 ), which encompass the support bar ( 2 ) and are formed by fixing strips ( 6 ) that lengthen the top of the cleaning strips ( 4 ). The aim of the invention is to be able to replace each individual cleaning stip independently of the other neighbouring strips arranged on the support bar in a fabric-strip curtain of this type. To achieve this, one end of the fixing strip ( 6 ) is permanently fixed to the cleaning strip ( 4 ) and the opposite end is provided with a fixing element ( 8 ) for detachably attaching to the fixing strip ( 6 ) above the area ( 7 ) that is fixed to the cleaning strip ( 4 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a fabric-strip curtain for car washinstallations, comprising a support bar that is displaced back andforth, on which cleaning strips consisting of a cleaning textile arehung next to one another, each of said strips being provided with loops,which encompass the support bar and are formed by attachment strips thatextend the top of the cleaning strip.

[0002] A brushless washing installation for vehicles is known from DE 3632 554 A1, for example, in which such fabric-strip curtains are usedboth for washing and for drying. While the vehicle is being towedthrough the washing installation, it first passes through a so-calledcloth washing station, in which wet cleaning of the vehicle takes place,using water with an additive of detergent substances. The cloth washingstation has a plurality of cleaning strips made of a fabric material,which are hung, next to one another, on a support bar. The support baris an integral part of a framework arranged above the vehicle to becleaned, which is excited to move back and forth, by means of a suitabledrive. In this connection, mechanical cleaning work is performed on thesurfaces of the vehicle to be cleaned, by means of the fabric strips,whereby water and various detergent substances are applied to loosen andremove the adhering dirt, either by way of the cleaning strips or inanother manner. At the end of the cleaning process, the vehicle passesthrough a drying station, which consists of a blower dryer and anotherfabric-strip curtain. The cleaning strips of this fabric-strip curtainthat is intended for drying consist of a particularly absorbentmaterial, so that water adhering to the vehicle after the washingprocess can be removed as completely as possible, in interaction withthe blower dryer.

[0003] In the case of both the fabric-strip curtain used for washing andthe fabric-strip curtain used for drying, the cleaning strips areusually attached to the support bars by means of loops sewn on at thetop. Because of the washing and drying operations, the cleaning stripsare subjected to great mechanical stress. Accordingly, the strips wearout regularly, and must be replaced. In the case of the usual cleaningstrips provided with sewn-on loops, it is disadvantageous that they-canonly be threaded onto the support bar from one side. Therefore it ispractically impossible to replace individual strips of the fabric-stripcurtain, without having to remove the other strips, arranged next tothem, as well.

[0004] Proceeding from this, the invention is based on the task ofmaking available a fabric-strip curtain in which each individualcleaning strip can be replaced independent of the other strips arrangedon the support bar, next to it. The attachment of the cleaning strip onthe support bar is supposed to be particularly simple and, at the sametime, it is supposed to be possible to produce the cleaning strip, withthe related attachment strip, with little effort and at low cost.

[0005] This task is accomplished, proceeding from a fabric-strip curtainof the type stated initially, in that one end of the attachment strip ispermanently attached to the cleaning strip, and the opposite, free endis provided with an attachment element for detachably affixing it to theattachment strip above the area that is attached to the cleaning strip.

[0006] In contrast to the previously known fabric-strip curtains, thecleaning strips do not have any firmly sewn-on loops in the case of thecurtain according to the invention. Instead, an attachment element isprovided on the attachment strip that extends the cleaning strip towardsthe top, by means of which element the loop can be opened, so that eachcleaning strip can be removed or hung individually, independent of thestrips arranged next to it on the support bar. The loop that encompassesthe support bar is formed in that the free end of the attachment stripis detachably fixed in place on the attachment strip by means of theattachment element, specifically being attached directly above the areain which the cleaning strip is attached to the attachment strip.

[0007] It is possible, in advantageous manner, in the case of existingfabric-strip curtains, to replace the cleaning strips hung inconventional manner, as needed, with strips configured according to theinvention. For this purpose, the attachment strip that encompasses thesupport bar in loop shape is simply cut through, so that the worn-outcleaning strip can be removed. Afterwards, a new cleaning stripaccording to the invention is hung on the support bar, in that theattachment strip is laid around the support bar, whereby a loop thatencompasses the support bar is formed, which is secured in that the freeend of the attachment strip is fixed in place on the attachment strip,above the attachment area of the cleaning strip, by means of theattachment element.

[0008] An advantageous further development of the fabric-strip curtainaccording to the invention results if the attachment element isconfigured as a cross-stay, which is connected with the side edges ofthe attachment strip in such a manner that a narrow passage for thecleaning strip to pass through is left between the cross-stay and theattachment strip. When hanging the cleaning strip onto the support bar,the bottom, free end of the cleaning strip is passed through the narrowpassage formed by the cross-stay connected with the side edges of theattachment strip. In this manner, a loop is formed, which is drawnclosed in that the entire cleaning strip is drawn through the slitbetween the cross-stay and the attachment strip. Such an attachmentelement is particularly robust and is characterized by simple handlingduring hanging of the cleaning strips on the support bar and theirremoval from it.

[0009] Particularly simple and cost-effective production of thefabric-strip curtain according to the invention results if theattachment strip and the cross-stay, just like the cleaning strip,consist of fabric material and are connected with one another by meansof seams. In this case, it is possible to produce the attachment strip,together with the attachment element configured as a cross-stay, from asingle cut piece. The functionality according to the invention is thenachieved by making suitable seams. It is possible, in advantageousmanner, to affix cleaning strips made of different materials, dependingon the purpose of use, to the attachment strip. Possible materials areabsorbent nonwoven fabrics, fur-like materials, foam, leather, andsynthetic leather.

[0010] It is practical if the attachment strip consists of a stifffabric material and is provided with lateral catch throats in the fixingarea of the cross-stay, above the attachment area of the cleaning strip,in which throats the cross-stay can be engaged in the fixing position.In this manner, a fixed, predetermined circumference of the loop thatencompasses the support bar is obtained, which has the result, inadvantageous manner, that all of the cleaning strips hung next to oneanother have the same length. By using a stiff fabric material for theattachment strip, it is ensured, together with the engagement of thecross-stays in the lateral catch throats of the attachment strip, thatthe attachment strips are securely fixed in place on the support bar,and that they cannot come loose, by themselves, during operation of thecar wash installation.

[0011] With regard to simple and cost-effective production, it isadvantageous if the attachment strip and the cross-stay consist of aninterconnected fabric cut-out, whereby the cross-stay is formed by anedge of the fabric cut-out that has been folded in, which edge is partlyseparated from the cut-out by means of a slit that runs crosswise andextends over part of the width of the cut-out. Therefore, only a singlefabric cut-out for the attachment strip and the attachment elementaffixed to it is needed. The slit that extends over part of the width ofthe cut-out forms the passage for the cleaning strip to pass through,whereby a detachable loop around the support bar is formed, according tothe invention.

[0012] It is practical to provide the fabric cut-out with markings forsewing on the cleaning strip. With this, an attachment strip that can beuniversally used is made available, which can be used for fabric-stripcurtains having support bars of various thickness and cleaning strips ofdifferent lengths.

[0013] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained ingreater detail in the following, using the figures. These show:

[0014]FIG. 1 a side view of the fabric-strip curtain according to theinvention;

[0015]FIG. 2 a perspective view of a cleaning strip with an attachmentelement according to the invention;

[0016]FIG. 3 a fabric cut-out for an attachment strip;

[0017]FIG. 4 a sewn fabric cut-out according to FIG. 3, with a passageopening for the cleaning strip.

[0018]FIG. 1 shows a fabric-strip curtain for car wash installationsaccording to the invention. The direction in which the vehicles aretowed through the car wash installation is indicated by the arrow. Abovethe vehicles to be washed, a framework 1 is arranged, on which aplurality of support bars 2 that run crosswise to the towing directionare attached. The framework 1 and thereby the support bars 2 are excitedto move back and forth by means of a drive 3. A plurality of cleaningstrips 4 is hung on each support bar 2, next to one another. Loops 5affixed at the top end of the cleaning strips, which encompass thesupport bar 2, in each instance, serve for this purpose. The loops areformed by attachment strips 6, which extend the cleaning strips 4towards the top. For this purpose, the cleaning [sic] strips 6 arepermanently sewn to the cleaning strips 4 in an attachment region 7.Each attachment strip 6 has an attachment element 8, with which the freeend of the attachment strip 6 is detachably affixed above the attachmentarea 7 of the cleaning strip 4. In this way, the loops 5 are formed,which encompass the support bar 2 and which can be opened at any time,because of the detachable attachment, in order to be able to remove andreplace individual cleaning strips.

[0019] The cleaning strip 4 shown in FIG. 2 is permanently sewn to theattachment strip 6 in the attachment area 7. The attachment element,configured as a cross-stay 9, is arranged at the free end of theattachment strip 6. The cross-stay 9 is sewn to the side edges of theattachment strip 6, in such a manner that a passage for passing thecleaning strip 4 through remains between the cross-stay 9 and theattachment strip 6. In order to affix the cleaning strip 4 on a supportbar 2, the cleaning strip 4 is laid around it, and the free end of thecleaning strip 4 is then passed through the slit between the attachmentstrip 6 and the cross-stay 9. The loop that is formed in this manner isdrawn closed by further pulling on the free end of the cleaning strip 4,whereupon the cross-stay 9 finally engages in catch throats 10 on theattachment strip 6 with its attachment area. In this way, the fixedposition of the cleaning strip 4 on the support bar 2 is defined.

[0020]FIG. 3 shows a fabric cut-out for an attachment strip 6 accordingto the invention. In the top area of the cut-out, a slit 11 that runscrosswise is arranged, which ends in circular punched holes 12 at thesides, which guarantee protection against a lateral tear. The top edge13 of the attachment strip 6, which is located above the slit 11, isfolded down twice, so that it forms the cross-stay 9 that serves as theattachment element (see FIG. 2). Two seams 14 are made in the side edgesof the folded-down edge, by means of which seams the cross-stay 9 isconnected with the attachment strip 6, as shown in FIG. 4. A narrowpassage is formed between the attachment strip and the cross-stay 9,through which the cleaning strip 4 is drawn, as indicated by the arrow.In the attachment area 7 of the cleaning strip, the fabric cut-out shownin Figures 3 and 4 has markings 15 for sewing on the cleaning strip indifferent positions.

1. Fabric-strip curtain for car wash installations, comprising a supportbar (2) that is displaced back and forth, on which cleaning strips (4)consisting of a cleaning textile are hung next to one another, each ofsaid strips being provided with loops (5), which encompass the supportbar (2) and are formed by attachment strips (6) that extend the top ofthe cleaning strip (4), characterized in that one end of the attachmentstrip (6) is permanently attached to the cleaning strip (4), and theopposite, free end is provided with an attachment element (8) fordetachably affixing it to the attachment strip (6) above the area (7)that is attached to the cleaning strip (4).
 2. Fabric-strip curtainaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the attachment element (8)is configured as a cross-stay (9), which is connected with the sideedges of the attachment strip (6) in such a manner that a narrow passagefor the cleaning strip (4) to pass through is left between thecross-stay (6) [sic] and the attachment strip (6).
 3. Fabric-stripcurtain according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that theattachment strip (6) and the cross-stay (9), just like the cleaningstrip (4), consist of fabric material and are connected with one anotherby means of seams.
 4. Fabric-strip curtain according to claims 1 to 3,characterized in that the attachment strip (6) consists of a stifffabric material and is provided with lateral catch throats (10) in thefixing area of the cross-stay (9), above the attachment area (7) of thecleaning strip (4), in which throats the cross-stay (9) can be engagedin the fixing position.
 5. Fabric-strip curtain according to claims 1-4,characterized in that the attachment strip (6) and the cross-stay (9)consist of an interconnected fabric cut-out, whereby the cross-stay (9)is formed by an edge (13) of the fabric cut-out that has been folded in,which edge is partly separated from the cut-out by means of a slit (11)that runs crosswise and extends over part of the width of the cut-out.6. Fabric-strip curtain according to claim 5, characterized in that thefabric cut-out is provided with markings (15) for sewing on the cleaningstrip (4).